"hola, by the splendor of

heaven, here is our cher petit! now, by my ten finger bones!

this is a rare sight to mine eyes." he sprang up and threw his

arms round alleyne's neck, while john, no less pleased, but more

backward and saxon in his habits, stood grinning and bobbing by

the wayside, with his newly won steel cap stuck wrong side

foremost upon his tangle of red hair.

"hast come to stop?" cried the bowman, patting alleyne all over

in his delight. "shall not get away from us again!"

"i wish no better," said he, with a pringling in the eyes at this

hearty greeting.

"well said, lad!" cried big john. "we three shall to the wars

together, and the devil may fly away with the abbot of beaulieu!

but your feet and hosen are all besmudged. hast been in the

water, or i am the more mistaken."

"i have in good sooth," alleyne answered, and then as they

journeyed on their way he told them the many things that had

befallen him, his meeting with the villein, his sight of the

king, his coming upon his brother, with all the tale of the black

welcome and of the fair damsel. they strode on either side, each

with an ear slanting towards him, but ere he had come to the end

of his story the bowman had spun round upon his heel, and was

hastening back the way they had come, breathing loudly through

his nose.

"what then?" asked alleyne, trotting after him and gripping at

his jerkin.

"i am back for minstead, lad."

"and why, in the name of sense?"

"to thrust a handful of steel into the socman. what! hale a

demoiselle against her will, and then loose dogs at his own

brother! let me go!"

"nenny, nenny!" cried alleyne, laughing. "there was no scath

done. come back, friend"--and so, by mingled pushing and

entreaties, they got his head round for christchurch once more.

yet he walked with his chin upon his shoulder, until, catching

sight of a maiden by a wayside well, the smiles came back to his

face and peace to his heart.

"but you," said alleyne, "there have been changes with you also.

why should not the workman carry his tools? where are bow and

sword and cap--and why so warlike, john?"

"it is a game which friend aylward hath been a-teaching of me."

"and i found him an over-apt pupil," grumbled the bowman. "he

hath stripped me as though i had fallen into the hands of the

tardvenus. but, by my hilt! you must render them back to me,

camarade, lest you bring discredit upon my mission, and i will

pay you for them at armorers' prices."

"take them back, man, and never heed the pay," said john. "i did

but wish to learn the feel of them, since i am like to have such

trinkets hung to my own girdle for some years to come."

"ma foi, he was born for a fr companion!" cried aylward, "he hath

the very trick of speech and turn of thought. i take them back

then, and indeed it gives me unease not to feel my yew-stave

tapping against my leg bone. but see, mes garcons, on this side

of the church rises the square and darkling tower of earl

salisbury's castle, and even from here i seem to see on yonder

banner the red roebuck of the montacutes."

"red upon white," said alleyne, shading his eyes; "but whether

roebuck or no is more than i could vouch. how black is the great

tower, and how bright the gleam of arms upon the wall! see below

the flag, how it twinkles like a star!"

"aye, it is the steel head-piece of the watchman," remarked the

archer. "but we must on, if we are to be there before the

drawbridge rises at the vespers bugle; for it is likely that sir

nigel, being so renowned a soldier, may keep hard discipline

within the walls, and let no man enter after sundown." so

saying, he quickened his pace, and the three comrades were soon

close to the straggling and broad-spread town which centered

round the noble church and the frowning castle.

it chanced on that very evening that sir nigel loring, having

supped before sunset, as was his custom, and having himself seen

that pommers and cadsand, his two war-horses, with the thirteen

hacks, the five jennets, my lady's three palfreys, and the great

dapple-gray roussin, had all their needs supplied, had taken his

dogs for an evening breather. sixty or seventy of them, large

and small, smooth and shaggy--deer-hound, boar-hound, blood-

hound, wolf-hound, mastiff, alaun, talbot, lurcher, terrier,

spaniel--snapping, yelling and whining, with score of lolling

tongues and waving tails, came surging down the narrow lane which

leads from the twynham kennels to the bank of avon. two russet-

clad varlets, with loud halloo and cracking whips, walked thigh-

deep amid the swarm, guiding, controlling, and urging. behind

came sir nigel himself, with lady loring upon his arm, the pair

walking slowly and sedately, as befitted both their age and their

condition, while they watched with a smil